The embodiments of the present invention generally relate to ornamental or decorative wheel trim components for use on vehicle wheels. More particularly, the embodiments of the present invention relate to a retention structure for holding a wheel cover to a vehicle wheel having lug nuts.
Decorative or ornamental wheel covers may be attached to lug nuts on vehicle wheels using retention features formed on the wheel cover. Such wheel covers may be formed from a platable or surface-treatable polymeric material. However, heat generated by rotation of the wheel may be transmitted to the lug nuts, and from the lug nuts to the polymeric wheel cover. This heat may produce thermally-induced stress relaxation in the polymeric material, possibly resulting in loss of wheel cover retention force and a loosening of the wheel cover attachment to the wheel. In addition, component dimensional variations and part tolerance stack-ups may act to create undesirable clearances between portions of the wheel cover and the wheel. These factors can enable portions of the wheel cover to move with respect to the wheel during use, resulting in undesirable noise and vibration.